What’s Old Is New Again: TWA Hotel Opens At JFK Airport

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Wednesday marked the grand opening of the new TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The landmark Trans World Airlines Flight Center, designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen, first opened in 1962. Now, for the first time in 20 years, it has reopened as the airport’s sole on-site hotel.

Hotel guests will feel like they’re stepping back in history — with the old flight board on display, model cars in what will be a restaurant, rotary pay phones and red plush furniture. There are more than 500 guest rooms, dozens of meeting rooms and even an infinity pool on the roof.

“At that time, the element of the passengers that would come here — phenomenal. They were well mannered, they were educated, they were just… you don’t see that element today,” former TWA employee Peter Christopher Coyle told Grymes.

“They did such a fabulous job in bringing it back to life,” former employee Karen Kobus added.

The first guests were set to check in at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Opening night was sold out.

Peter Sprague flew in from North Carolina to be one of the first to stay over.

“I no doubt booked a hotel to be part of history,” Sprague said. “It’s absolutely amazing.”

Rooms start at $249 per night, but guests said being part of history is priceless.